popov



June 1s, 1929. v, Popov 4 1,717,403

CIGARETTE PACKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 31, 192B 2 Sheets-Sheet l VLADxMIR FOPO/ INVENTO R,

June 18, 1929. i v, POPOV 1,717,403

CIGARETTE PACKING MACHINE med (1an, s1, 192e z sheets-sheet 2 By @www QCM Atkorneg.

Patented June 18, 1929.

PATENT OFFICE..

VVLADIMIR POPOV, OF PLZEN, CZECHOSLOVAKIA.

CIGARETTE-PACKING MACHINE.

Application fded January 31, 1928, Serial No. 256,787, and in Czechoslovakia February 4, 1927.

Cigarette. packing machines are provided with special apparatus for counting predetermined numbers of cigarettes from a supply receptacle and for placing such counted cigarettes in one or two rows. The cigarettes so placed in rows are inserted in prepared cases.

` The systems of apparatus of this kind heretofore known are open to various objections of which one of the principals is that the cigarettes are placed in posit-ion even if for any reason, for instance if the paper feed fails to operate the case designed to receive the cigarettes is not ready for use. Besides in none of the counting apparatus heretofore in use provisions are made to prevent the cases, serving to receive the cigarettes from being filledA with a. number of cigarettes smaller than that desired, and to ascertain this fact that is vto say that the lcase has not been completely filled with cigarettes. The apparatus constructed according to the present invention does away with these drawbacks and consists substantially in that each cigarette coming from the counting drum is subjected before entering the cigarette receiver to the action of a control lever so constructed and arranged, that if in a groove of the counting drum there is a cigarette not suiiiciently filled or no cigarette at all, the` said control lever is rocked out of its initial position and actuates by means of a spring or another element a` mechanical relay closing an electric circuitwhereby the machine is stopped. By a similar control device the feed ofthe cigarettes is stopped when the case for receiving the cigarettes has not been properly prepared, The annexed drawings illustrate in 1 to 10 by way of example a machine embodying my present invention.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the cigarette counting apparatus; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same partly in section. Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show a detail of the cigarette receiver in side elevation, front elevation and in section respectively; Fig. 6 is a front elevation of another constructionalform of the counting ap] aratus in which the cigarettes are placed in position in two rows; Fig. 7 illustrates details of the counting drum; Fig. S is a` section on the line L -b. 7. Fig. 9 is a section on the line c-d. Fig. 7 and Fig. 10 diagrammatic view of the case control device.

The apparatus consists of a casing 1 (Fior. 1) in which the gear wheels and other mechanisms for actuating the apparatus are mounted. On the opposite wall of the casing 1s arranged the supply receptacle 2 in which the cigarettes are deposited and below the supply i receptacle is arranged the filling drum 3 fixed to the shaft t mounted in bearings 5 (Fig. 2). On the rear side of the casing a pulley 6 is provided which has for its object to rock the lever 10 by means of the gear wheels 7 and 8 and the crank 9. The roc-king movement of the lever 10 is transmitted by the link 11 to the plate 12 and thence to the pawl 13 connected to the said plate by a bolt 15. The pawl 13 carrying at its end a tooth 14 is adapted to turn the shaft 4 by the ratchet 16 intermittently and simultaneously with the filling drum 3 through a certain angle for instance of 450.

The filling drum is provided at its periphery with a number of grooves for instance 40 receiving cigarettes from the supply chamber. By the pulley 6 and by means of the arrangement above described the drum 3 is intermittently turned through predetermined angles and at each of such intermittent movements a certain number of cigarettes, say 5 are fed from the supply chamber 2 to the channel 17 formed by the walls 18 and 19.

For securing reliable transfer of the cigarettes from the grooves of the drum 3 into the channel the upper end of the wall 18 is bifurcated its prongs 20 engaging into recesses 21 of the drum 3 (Figs. 1 and 2). In order that the cigarettes in excess in the supply receptacle may not be squeezed by the drum 3 or that the cigarettes in excess may be taken up a stripping roller 22 is provided above the drum 3 in the supply receptacle 2. The stripping roller 22 is fixed on the shaft 23 mounted in bearings 24. This roller 22 is continuously revolved in a clockwise direction by the gear wheels 25 and 3, and by the friction of its surface against the cigarettes it prevents the squeezing or catching of the cigarettes by the drum 3, While the cigarettes having dropped into the grooves may'pass on freely.

The bottom end of the channel 17 abuts against the counting drum 26 fixed on a shaft 27 journalled in the front wall of the ca sing. The surface of `the counting is provided with simultaneously with the drum 3 through a predetermined angle depending on the leverage of 'the gear wheels. In the example illustrated this angle is 90. As the counting drum rotates through an angle of 90O the eig- Varettes contained in the channel 17 fall into the grooves of the counting drum 26 and from this they fall into the cigarette receiver 33 (Figs. 1 and 2). lIn order to prevent the cigarettes from being squeezed on passing from the channel 17 to the counting drum 26 a stripping roller 34 is provided above the drum 26 and is constructed and operates in the same manner as the stripping roller 22 above described. This stripping roller receives its movement from the shaft 23 by means of the pulleys 35 and 36 and the belt 37 (Fig. 2).

T he left hand wall of the cigarette receiver l 33 forms a fork having prongs 38 (Figs. 1,

2 and 8) engaging into the recesses of the drinn 26 and thus securing the transfer of the cigarette from the drum 26 to the cigarette receiver 33; from the latter the cigarettes directly enter the paper case.

The above described drums 3 and 26 are moved by the ratchet wheel 16 and the pawl 13, the pawl 13 turning the ratchet wheel 16 while the pawl moves from the left to the right (operative stroke) and the movement of the pawl from the right to the left being the idle stroke (Figs. 1, 2 and 10).

The machine described is provided with a special device which in all cases, in which the paper cases are set ready to receive the cigarettes from the cigarette receiver 33 prevents to pawl 13 engaging into the tooth of the ratchet wheel 16 from moving such ratchet wheel, so that the movement of the pawl 13 from left to right is likewise idle and therefore the drums 3 and 26 do not operate. This device consists of a lever 39 rocking around a pivot 41 ournallcd in the bearing 40. The lever 39 is acted upon by a spring 42 and is provided with a hook 43 on one of its arms. In the extreme right hand position shown in Fi 1() in dotted lines the lever 39 approaches with the hook 43 the tooth of the ratchet wheel 16 whereby the tooth 14 of the pawl 13 comes y into engagement with the hook 43, so that it cannot engage into the tooth of the ratchet wheel 16. Consequently the ratchet wheel 16 will remain at rest while the pa wl 13 moves from the left to the right. In its extreme left hand position the said lever 39 with its hook 43 does not prevent the engagement of the pawl 13 into the ratchet wheel 16. The

automatic control of the lever 39 is brought about in combination with the mechanism which feeds the paper case to the cigarette ments of the drums 3 and 26. If into a sleeve 47 in the position I an empty case open at one end and the drum begins to turn the case comes from the position I into the position II in which as is seen from Figs. 1, 2 and 10, the lower end of the lever 39 would enter into the slots 48 of the sleeves 47. But as the sleeve 47 contains the paper case inserted thereinto the lower end of the lever 39 will be turned anticlockwise (Figs. 1 and 10) and will inally arrive in a position in which the hook 43 of the lever 39 does not prevent the pawl 13 from engaging into the ratchet wheel 16. Therefore simultaneously with the rotatingfof the drum 45, that is to say, simultaneously with the movement of `he paper case from the position I to the position II, the pawl 13 will make its operative stroke from left to right and thus turn the drum 3 and hence also the drum 26. After the drum 45 has been stopped the pawl 13 makes its return or idle stroke and as it reaches the extreme left hand position it again engages into the ratchet wheel 16, whereby the drums 3 and 26 are turned and the receiver 33 is filled with cigarettes and this takes place simultaneously with a rotary movement of the drum 45 that is to say with a change of position from II to III.

After the drum 45 has come to rest and no cigarettes are fed from the drum 26 to the receiver 33 the ejecting pusher 49 must be operated in any known manner for pushing the cigarette from the receiver 33 through the funnel 50 into the paper case which takes place in the position III. The filled case moves from the position III to the position IV and then reaching the position V and VI the filled paper case must be ejected in any known manner from the sleeve 47 for making place for the next empty paper case which may be inserted forinstance in the position I. Obviously if there isno paper box in the sleeve 47, the lever 39 remains in the position shown in Fig. 1 so that cigarettes cannot be further fed.

However the structure described does not secure the counting of an exactly predetermined number of cigarettes, for owing to the varying pressure of the column of cigarettes on the drum 3 and owing to an improper position of the cigarettes relatively to the grooves of this drum (the cigarettes are not parallel to the groove of the drum) not all the grooves of the drum are filled with cigarettes. Owing to the circumstances herein referred to the number of cigarettes in the channel 17 will be reduced and finally the counting drum 26 and the receiver 33 will not receive the required number of cigarettes. ln such case the column of cigarettes in the channel 17 must be replenished by hand by turning the drum 3. But nevertheless it may happen t-hat even if there is a sufiicie-nt number et cigarettes in the supply column not all the grooves of the counting drum are provided with cigarettes or that in the one or the other groove an iinpert'ectly filled cigarette is contained. so that less or iniper'lectly lilled cigarettes may be supplied to the receiver. The following control mechanisms serve for preventing this.

A three armed lever 52 is rotatably mounted on the journal pin 51 (Fig. 1) and is acted upon by a spring 53 tending to Ytorce one arm o'f the lever towards the counting drum 26 and to cause it to bear directly against the drum or the cigarettes carried thereby. As the drum 26 rotates the lever moves over the cigarettes in succession and thus is caused to oseillate rapidly; the amplitude of' the oscillations being` determined by the extent to which the cigarettes project beyond the periphery of the drum. It now there is no cigarette in any of the groovesA of the drum 2G, the lever will make an oscillation ot an abnormally large amplitude. For increasing the latter for each group of 5 cigarettes a. recess 54 may be provided on the drum 26 (Figs. 2, 7 and 9). On the pins 55 and 56 two two armed levers 57 and 58 are mounted and so arranged opposite each other (Fig. 2) that Athe oblique lower arm of the lever 58 engages with the oblique upper arm of the lever 57, these levers being therefore always connected with each other. In this position the levers 57, 58 are held by friction which may he iucreased by providing a weight 59. During normal operation the oscillating lever 52 will leave the levers 57 and 58 just described in their position. It however even only one of the grooves of the drum 26 does .not contain a cigarette the lever 52 will make an oscilla tion of a larger amplitude whereby the lever 57 is turned clockwise (Fig. 2) and the oblique arms of the levers 57 and 58 are brought out of engagement. The lever 58 then causes by means of its weighted. horizontal arm to contact springs 60 and 61 to make contact with each other. whereby the electric circuit 62. 63 is made (Fig. 1). rlhis is utilized to stop the entire machine in any known or preferred manner. In this case the lever 52 and the levers 57 and 58 connected by friction act as a mechanical relay by which the associated stopping mechanism 'for the machine is thrown into operation. But the lever 52 has still. another function. The amplitude of an oscillation also depends on the degree to which the cigarette is filled with tobacco. It in the case of' a normally filled cigarette this amplitude is for instance 50 it will be greater say 7O in case ot a poorly filled cigarette. It now the lever 52 is so adjusted that 'tor a given minimum amplitude of say 6O it causes the machine to be stopped then this will take place whether there in one of the. .f ror'nes or the counting roller a poorly filled cigarette or no cigarette at all.

Fig. 6 shows a constructional form of an apjmr'atus for delivering the cigarettes iu two rows. .I he difference over the apparatus above described consists in that besides one pair of drums 8 and 26 a second pair olf drums 3 and 26"l is provided. Furthermore the receiver and the drum ior taking up the paper cases are modified to correspond and additional means for actuating the same are used. Besides a second lever 52 provided7 both levers 52 and 52 cooperating with one pair of levers 57 and 58 as is shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

These figures illustrate the case in which the lever has made an oscillation ot an abnormally large amplitude one of the grooves of the drum 26 h aving` been empty. This oscillation has caused through the action of the levers 57, 58 the springs 60 and 61 to come into contact with each other whereby the machine is stopped. ln the meanwhile the lever 52 has returned into its normal position since the drum 26rl is completely tilled with cigarettes.

What claim is:

l. In a cigarette packing machine comprising a supply receptacle adapted to contain cigarettes loosely located substantially parallel to each other, at least. one periphcrally grooved filling drum the grooves of which are parallel to its axis and substantially parallel to the cigarettes in the supply receptacle, a peripherally grooved counting drum associated to the. said filling drum the axis of which is parallel to the axis of the filling drum and parallel to its grooves. a channel adapted to receive cigarettes individually from the filling drum and to deliver them individually to the counting drum, a rotary receiver mechanism comprising a plurality of receivers adapted to receive paper cases into which the cigarettes are delivered trom the counting drum, means for delivering the cigarettes 'from the counting drum to thesaid paper cases in the said receivers in succession7 means for intermittr-mt y rotating the filling drum the counting drum and the rotary receiving mech auism in unison. and means operated by the paper cases in the receivers tor throwing out of operation 'the means 'for intermittently rotatingl the said drums and the receiving` mechanism.

2. In a cigarette packing machine comprisH ing a supply receptacle adapted to contain cigarettes loosely located substantially parallel to each other, at least one peripherally grooved filling drum the grooves et `which are parallel to its axis and substantially parallel to the cigarettes in the supply receptacle, a peripherally grooved counting drum associated to the said lilling drum the axis ot which is parallel to the axis ot the lilling diuin and parallel to its grooves, a channel adapted to receive cigarettes individually 'from the iilling drum and to deliver them individually to the counting drum, a rotary receiver mechanism comprising a plurality ot receivers adapted to receive paper cases into which the cigarettes are delivered from the counting drum, means 'for delivering` the cigarettes from the counting drum to the said paper cases in the said receivers in succession, means tor intermittently rotating the hlling drum the counting drum and the rotary receiving mechanism in unisom such means comprising a ratchet, a pivoted paivi adapted to engage into the said ratchet and means tor continuously reciprocating the said pavvl and means operated by the paper cases in the receivers tor throwing out ot operation the means for intermittently rotating the said drums and the receiving mechanism, such means comprising` a lever adailited to e gage the paper case in each receiver and provided -with a hook adapted to engage with the said paWl and to throw it out ot engagement with the said ratchet Whenever such lever does not come into engagement With a paper case in ai TSCQlVGl.

3. in a cigarette packing machine comprising a supply receptacle adapted to contain cigarettes loosely located substantially parallel to each other, at least one peripherally grooved filling drum the grooves ot which are parallel to its axis and substantially parallel to the cigarettes in the supply receptacle,

a peripherally grooved counting drum associated to the said filling drum the axis ot ivliich is parallel to the axis oi the filling drinn and parallel to its grooves, a channel adapted to receive cigarettes individually from the iilling drum and to deliver them individually to the counting drum, a rotary receiver mechanism comprising a plurality ot receivers adapted to receive paper cases into which the cigarettes are delivered from the counting drum, means 'for delivering the cigarettes from the counting drum to the said paper cases in the said receivers in succession, means tor intermittently rotating the filling drum the counting drum and the rotary receiving mechanism in unison, and means operated by the paper cases in the receivers 'for throwing out of operation the means tor intermittently rotating the said drums and the receiving mechanism and means operable by the cigarettes in the grooves ot the counting drum and adapted to throw out ot operation the packing machine Whenever a groove in the counting drum does not contain a normal cigarette.

L:hln a cigarette packing machine comprising a supply receptacle adapted to contain cigarettes loosely located substantially parallel to each other, at least one periplierally grooved filling drum the grooves ot which are parallel to its axis and substantially parallel to the cigarettes in the supply receptacle, a periplierally grooved counting vdrum associated to the said illing drum the axis of which is parallel to the axis of the filling drum and parallel to its grooves, a channel adapted to receive cigarettes indi vidually from the tilling drum and to deliver them individually to the counting drum, a rotary receiver mechanism comprising a plurality of receivers adapted to receive paper cases into which the cigarettes are delivered from the counting dium, means for delivering the cigarettes from the counting drum to the said paper cases in the said receivers in succession, means ttor intermittently rotating the lilling drum the counting drum and the rotary receiving mechanism in unison, and means operated by the paper cases in the receivers for throwing out of operation the means tor intermittently rotating the said drums and the receiving mechanism and means operable by the cigarettes in the grooves ot the counting drum and adapted to throw out of operation the packing machine ivheiiever a groove in the counting drum does not contain a normal cigarette, such last named means comprising an actuated .lever adapted to come into contact with and to be oscillated by the cigarettes in the grooves ot the counting drums and means operated by such lever Whenever the amplitiulo of one ot its oscillations exceeds a predetermined value or throwing out of operation the packing machine.

5. in a cigarette packing machine comprising a supply receptacle adapted to contain cigarettes loosely located substantially parallel to each other, at least one periplierally grooved lilliiig drum, the grooves ot which are parallel to its axis and substantially parallel to the cigarettes in the supply receptacle, a peripherally grooved counting drum associated to the said lilling drum theraxis of which is parallel to the axis ot the filling `drum and parallel to its grooves, a channel adapted to receive cigarettes individually from the vfilling drinn and to deliver them iiidividually to the counting drum, a rotary receiver mechanism comprising a plurality ot receivers adapted to receive paper cases into which the cigarettes are delivered from the counting drumA` means for delivering` the cigarettes from the counting drum toi the said paper cases in the said receivers in succission. means for intermittently rotating the fillingr drum and the rotary receiving mechanism id unison, and means operated by the paper cases in the receivers tor throwing out oli operation the means tor intermittently rotating the said drums and the receivinglmeehamsm and means operable by the cigarettes in lll() lll) the grooves of the counting drum and adapted to throw out of operation the packing machine whenever a groove in the counting drum does not contain a normal cigarette, such last named means comprising an actuatedlever adapted to come into contact with and to be oscillated by the cigarettes in the grooves of the counting drums and means operated by such lever whenever the amplitude of one of its oscillations exceeds a prevdetermined value for closing an electric circuit including apparatus responsive to electric current and adapted to operate a mechanism for throwing out of operation the packing machine.

6. In a cigarette packing machine comprising a supply receptacle adapted to contain cigarettes loosely located substantially parallel to each other two parallel peripherally grooved filling drums the grooves of which are parallel to their axes and substantially parallel to the cigarettes in the supply receptacle, two peripherally grooved counting ldrums each of which is associated to one of the filling 4drums and the axes of which are parallel to the axes ofthe filling drums and parallel to their grooves, two channels each associated to one filling and one counting drum and adapted to receive cigarettes individually from a filling drum and to deliver them individually to the associated counting drum, a rotary receiver mechanism comprising a plurality of receivers adapted to receive paper cases into which the cigarettes are delivered from the counting drums, means for delivering the cigarettes from the counting drums to the said paper cases in the said receivers in succession, means for intermittently rotating the filling drums the counting drums and the rotary receiving mechanism in unison, means operative by the paper cases in the receivers for throwing out of operation the means for intermittently rotating the said drums and the receiving mechanism and means operable by the cigarettes in the grooves of the counting drums and adapted to throw out of operation the packing machine whenever a groove in any of the counting drums does not contain a. normal cigarette.

7. In a cigarette packing machine comprising 'a supply receptacle adapted to contain cigarettes loosely located substantially parallel to each other, two parallel peripherally grooved filling drulns the grooves of which are parallel to their axes and substantially parallel. to the cigarettes in the supply receptacle, two peripherally grooved counting drums each of which is associated to one ot the filling drums and the axes of which are parallel to the axes of the filling drums and parallel to their grooves, two channels each associated to one filling and one counting drum and adapted to receive cigarettes individually from a filling drum and to deliver them individually to the associated counting drum, a rotary receiver mechanism comprising a plurality of receivers adapted to receive paper cases into which the cigarettes are delivered from the counting drums, means for delivering the cigarettes from the counting drums to the said paper cases in the said receivers in succession, means for intermittently rotating the filling drums the counting drums and the rotary receiving mechanism in unison, means operative by the paper cases in the receiver for throwing out of operation the means for intermittently rotating the said drums and the receiving` mechanism and means operable by the cigarettes in the grooves of the counting drums and adapted to throw out of operation the packing machine whenever a groove in any of the counting drums does not contain a normal cigarette suoli last named means comprising two spring actuated levers, one for each counting drum such last named means comprising an actuated lever adapted to come into contact with and to beoscillated by the cigarettes in the grooves of the associated counting drums and means operated by any of such levers whenever the amplitude of one of its oscillations exceeds a predetermined value 'for throwing out of operation the packing machine.

8. In a cigarette packing machine comprising a supply receptacle adapted to contain cigarettes loosely located substantially parallel to each other, two parallel peripherally grooved filling drums the grooves of which are parallel to their axes and substantially parallel to the cigarettes in the supply receptacle, two peripherally gr-ooved counting drums each of which is associated to one of the filling drums and the axes of which are parallel to the axes of the filling drums and parallel to their grooves, two channels each associated t-o one filling and one counting drum and adapted to receive cigarettes individually from a filling drum and to deliver them individually to the associated counting drum, a rotary receiver mechanism comprising' a plurality of receivers adapted to receive paper cases into which the cigarettes are delivered from the counting drums, means tor delivering the cigarettes from the counting drums to the said paper cases in the said receivers in succession, means for intermittently rotating the filling drums the counting drums and the rotary receiving mechanism in unison, means operative by the paper cases in the receivers for 'throwing out et operation the means f'or intermittently rotating the said drums and the receiving mechanism and means operable by the cigarettes in the grooves of the coun ting drums and adapted to throw out of operation the p :king machine whenever a groove in any of; the counting drums does not centra a normal cigarette, auch last named ing two spring actuated levers, one for each counting drum such last named means comprising an actuated level' adapted to come into Contact with and to be osclleted by the cigarettes in the grooves of the associated counting drums and means operated by any of such levers Whenever the amplitude of one of its oscillations exceeds e predetermined Value for closing an electric circuit including; apparatus responsive to electric current and adapted te operate a mechanism for three# ing out of operation the packing machine.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

VLADMIR 'POPOV 

